Has your exhaust manifold cracked yet? Here is a fix

Brian83 said:
They changed a little more than just the exhaust manifolds. The 2 piece from 2000 and later is not interchangeable with 97-99 as there is a difference in the exhaust ports on the heads.
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Thanks for the info, it kind of proves my point. If they had made a version to retro fit the 97-99 they would have made more money and satisfied more customers. We couldn't have that, now could we? LOL
 
Brian83 said:
They changed a little more than just the exhaust manifolds. The 2 piece from 2000 and later is not interchangeable with 97-99 as there is a difference in the exhaust ports on the heads.
Click to expand...

People have added the 2 piece exhaust to the older 4.0.
 
Jeep came out with that flexible joint fix on both sides of the single piece header in 1999. Headers with that design are widely available on eBay and Amazon.com.

Like this one at http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5337789113&icep_item=232126690919

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So to go back on this, OP how long have you ran with a flex pipe and not had any header issues? I’d like to replace mine again this summer but I’m looking to avoid doing it a third time...
 
Since installing a 10 inch section of flex in the exhaust pipe about a foot past where it meets the header I haven't had any issues and I sometimes put it through some pretty severe torque. The engine twists under hard acceleration and the header goes with it. The catalytic converter attachment to the transmission keeps it static so something between the two has to give.
 
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Awesome! Let us know if anything changes. I’m probably a few months away from doing mine. I installed one with flex bellows before I sold it 3yrs ago but it seems to have come back, except I can’t find the crack this time. On the last manifold I was able to see the crack and confirm the location instead of checking the collector connection. The next setup will have flex bellows and flex pipe like you’ve done.
 
HarleyMick said:
There is an undesirable side effect to all of that torque our favorite toy produces and that is a cracked exhaust manifold. In the 12 yrs I've had my 20 yr old Wrangler I have replaced one exhaust manifold and two headers. My exhaust man suggested the following fix which has worked out great:

Whether or not you have one of these:
View attachment 85277

You need one of these:
View attachment 85278

When the engine twists it flexes just enough to take the stress off the exhaust manifold. Many newer vehicles come with one.
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Awesome , I just put on a banks to fix a cracked header , and want the banks to last .

Along related lines , do you guys think that having a front hanger helps prevent this?
 
Looks like I'm doing the swap again this year. The crack is getting loud. I'm hoping to get it through the summer so I can swap it in cooler weather this fall. I'm probably going to be adding a piece of flex pipe in mine this time just to see if it makes a difference.
 
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Brian83 said:
Looks like I'm doing the swap again this year. The crack is getting loud. I'm hoping to get it through the summer so I can swap it in cooler weather this fall. I'm probably going to be adding a piece of flex pipe in mine this time just to see if it makes a difference.
Click to expand...

Sure made a difference in mine. The header I have on it cost me $85 on Amazon and hasn't cracked yet!
 
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